FABLAB PUCP: recycled bottle cap as a tectonic element

‘recycled bottle cap as a tectonic element’ by FABLAB PUCP (facultad de arquitectura y urbanismo, pontificia universidad católica del peru)

part of the course of 2011 digital fabrication in the pontificia universidad católica del perú (PUCP) where students jessica alvarez, monica bazo, daniela beraun, miguel chavez, alejandro ciudad, karel van oordt, alexander wiegering developed with teachers felipe ferrer (GSAPP ´05) and peter seinfeld (SCI ARC ´04) an installation that is the intersection between hi-tech and low-tech technology.

the pieces are arranged along a tilted cone which defines the geometry of the installation. the CNC ‘X’s’ are bound together by the cap of the plastic vessels, where the bottle provides the hardest area. each unit behaves as a bolt and the tops are the nuts. since the containers and ends are standardized, it didn’t matter what brand was used, because they were all the same. the theme of recycling and technology worked together to generate a more sustainable way of building. 

installation completed

Light refracting on plastic bottles

video

building surface

all brands use the same cap

recycle and participation

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions’  feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here